Jurgen Klopp expects forward Mohamed Salah to be ready for Liverpool’s trip to Arsenal despite a wrist injury, but midfielders Jordan Henderson and Naby Keita are both ruled out.
Salah was seen training with a protective cast on his forearm this week, but Klopp dismissed any fresh injury concern relating to the Egyptian.
“Mo, it is nothing really serious – it’s a kind of inflammation of the tendon,” Klopp told a news conference on Friday. “That’s pretty much all.
“It (the support) was only for protection – the pictures you saw were only protection, and it has no influence.”
Henderson and Keita remain on the sidelines with hamstring injuries and will not be available for the clash at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
The pair are also a doubt for the Champions League trip to Red Star Belgrade on Tuesday.
“Hendo feels really good, but it will be probably the start of the week, when he will be back in training,” Klopp added.
“Naby, end of this week. It doesn’t make a big difference match-wise, but that’s how it looks.”
Klopp is yet to suffer defeat against Arsenal since arriving at Anfield, claiming 11 points out of 15 against the north London outfit in the league.
However, the German expects a difficult game against an Arsenal side rejuvenated under new manager Unai Emery and on an eight-match unbeaten run in the Premier League.
That #FridayFeeling
Matchday is just around the corner. 😀🙌 pic.twitter.com/CkCVZRcaaU
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) November 2, 2018
Klopp suggested the departure of long-standing manager Arsene Wenger at the end of last season forced some of the Arsenal players “out of their comfort zone”, and back to delivering the goods on the pitch.
“Arsene Wenger is one of the best managers in the world, there’s no doubt about it. And sometimes after a long time when the mood in a club changes, it’s quite difficult to work against that,” said Klopp.
“If a new manager comes in – it was the same with me here – all players are immediately out of their comfort zone.
“They all have to prove from the first day that they are not only the name, they are the footballer as well.”
Klopp on Arsenal: "They score a lot of goals and they are really good defensively. We have to make sure they don't score. You need the full package in games like this." #ARSLIV https://t.co/6QmbXQPHa6
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) November 2, 2018